Coupling



D- 16, 194i. o. STAERKER COUPLING 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 11, 1938Dec. 16, 194L O. STAERKER COUPLING Fiied March 11, 193s 3 Sheets-Sheet 3Off@ Siae/fer Patented Dec. 16, 1941 l ual'rlazpf STATES PATENToI-I-Icl-I.v

commma- Otto Staerker, Gladewater, Ten Application Mann 11, 193s, serialNo. 195,201

(c1. ros-zza)- set within the well bore, whereby said valve, or4

other element, which has been coupled to the rods may be removed fromthe tubing without pulling the latter 4irom thebore.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved coupling whichincludes a pair of coacting members, one of which' is insertable withinthe other, the members being entirely free of screw threads and beingarranged to couple or connect when the insertable member has movedwithin the other member a predetermined distance, whereby coupling issimplied and may be accomplished without rotation; the coupling beingsuch that after the connection is made, the members may swivel. or4rotate axially, with relation to each other.

An important object of the invention is to provide an improved couplingmeans including coacting coupling elements, one of which is adapted tobe secured to a removable standing valve located within a well tubing,While the other element is carried by the .pump plunger, whereby whenthe elements are coupled the valve may be removed from the tubing withthe rplunger and without pulling the tubing from the well bore.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved coupling forconnecting a pump plunger and standing valve to permit removal of saidvalve, there also being means for preventing coupling of the membersduring normal pumping operation, whereby the plunger may freelyreciprocate within the tubing without danger of accidental orunintentional coupling of said members.

A particularobject of the invention is to provide an improved couplingfor connecting well pumping rods with a pump plunger, whereby theplunger may be placed within the working barrel and lowered into thewell bore with the well tubing, after which the pumping rods mayv be runinto the well, such arrangement making it possible to run 'the tubingand rods separately and also eliminating the necessity of lowering theplunger through the tubing, which permits a larger working barrel to beused; there also .being means for readily disconnecting the rods fromthe plunger whereby said rods may be removed from the well separately ofthe tubing.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafterdescribed,` together with other features of the invention.

'I'he invention 4will be more readily understood from a reading of thefollowing speciiication and by reference to the accompanying drawings.in wichign example of the invention is shown, and w ere Figure 1 is aview partly in elevation and' partly in section showing a couplingmember, constructed in accordance with the invention as applied to apump plunger and standing valve, Figure 2 is va transverse, vertical,sectional view of the coupling member showing the two elements of saidmember moved toward each. other,

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 with the elements in theircoupled position,

Figure 4 is a horizontal, cross-sectional view taken on the line 4`4 ofFigure 3,

Figure 5 is a horizontal, cross-sectional vi taken on the line 5--5 ofFigure 3,

Figure 6 is a transverse, vertical, sectional view showingY the couplingmember as connecting a pump plunger and pump rods,

Figure 7 is an enlarged view partly in elevation and partly in sectionshowing in detail the connection `between the pump rods and Vtheplunger,

Figure y8 is a view partly in section and partlyy in elevation of thecoupling 'and taken at angles to the parts as shown in Figure '1,

Figure 9 is a horlzontaL'cross-sectional view j taken on the line 9-9 ofFigure '1,

Figure 10 is a horizontal, cross-sectional view taken on the line Ill-i0of Figure?,

Figure 11 is a horizontal, cross-sectional view.

taken on the line Il--II of yFigure 7,

Figure 12 is a horizontal, cross-sectional view taken' on the lineI2--I2 of Figure 7,

Figure 13 is a horizontal, cross-sectional view taken on the line l3-I3of Figure 6,

lFigure 14 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section andshowing the coupling and f tending axially therethrough. A workingbarrel II depends from the tubing and a seating collar I2 is threadedonto the lower end of the working barrel, while the usual well screen I3is connected to the lower end of said collar. An internal, annular,beveled seat I4 is formed within the collar I2 and a standing valve A isadapted to rest on this seat.

The valve A comprises a seating member or head I5 which has its outersurface inclined, complementary to the inclination of the seat I4,whereby said head engages said seat. A cage I6 is threaded onto theupper end of the member I5 and a valve seat I1 is confined between thecage and member. A ball I8 is arranged to engage the seat I'I and moveswithin the cage I S. The operation of the standing valve A is obvious,said valve acting to permit an upward iiow through the tubing andpreventing a downward ow therethrough. In carrying out the invention, anelongate mandrel I9 is formed with an axial, threaded pin at its lowerend and this pin is arranged to be screwed into an opening 2l providedin the top of the valve cage I6. The mandrel I9 is provided withexternal screw threads I9 which extend substantially throughout thelength of said mandrel. A collar 22 is threaded on the mandrel I9 andwhen rotated will travel vertically on said mandrel. The collar isformed with upwardly extending lugs 23 which are located diametricallyopposite each other and the purpose of these lugs will be hereinafterexplained.

The upper end of the mandrel is formed with atapered or conical head 24which has its top rounded, as is clearly shown in Figures l to 3. Thehead is preferably made integral with the mandrel and an external,annular groove or recess 25 is formed at the base of the head. With theabove arrangement, it will be seen that the standing valve A issupported on the seat I 4, and the mandrel I9 and head 24 are carried bythe cage I6 of the standing valve. The head and mandrel extend upwardlyfrom the standing valve and are, of course, located within the workingbarrel il.

A pump plunger B is movable vertically within the working barrel Il andincludes a tubular mandrel 25 having the usual packing elements 2lthereon. A traveling valve 28 of the usual construction is locatedwithin a cage 29 secured to the upper end of the mandrel. An axialthreaded pin 30 extends upwardly from the cage 29 and the usual pumprods 3| are connected t0 the pin 30, whereby the plunger is supported bysaid rods. When the rods are reciprocated, the plunger 26 isreciprocated in the working barrel I! to pump the well in the usualmanner.

A coupling sleeve 32 is threaded into the lower end of the tubularmandrel 26 and depends therefrom. The lower end of the sleeve is reducedand externally threaded, as shown at 33 and a collar 34 is threadedthereon. An internal, annular shoulder 35 is formed within the upper endof the collar and a snap ring 36 rests on this shoulder, being confinedbetween said shoulder and the lower end of the sleeve 32. The ring 36 issplit as shown at 3l and is constructed of spring metal, whereby itsinherent resiliency holds the ring inwardly of the bore of the collar 34(Figure 1). The lower end of the bore oi the collar 34 is tapered orflared outwardly as shown at 34a, while the lower edge of the collar isprovided with depending lugs 38, which lugs are located diametricallyopposite each other and 3|, having the pump plunger B fastened to theirlower ends, are run into the well. At this time, the stop collar 22 onthe mandrel I3 is at the upper end of said mandrel, as shown inFigure 1. I'Phe pump plunger is lowered into the working barrel to apoint where the lower end of the collar 34, carried thereby, is spacedabove the collar 22.

After the plunger is in position within the working barrel, the pumpingof the well may be carried out with the plunger B reciprocating withinsaid barrel. It is noted that during the normal pumping operation of thewell, the lower end of the collar 34 on the plunger B never strikes thecollar 22 as the bottom of the pump stroke terminates above said collar.Thus, it will be seen that the pump may normally lift the fluid in theusual manner without interference from the coupling which is notconnecting the parts at such time.

When it is desired to remove the standing valve A, for any reasonwhatever, it is only necessary to lower the plunger B until the lugs 38on the collar 34 strike the upper surface-of the collar 22 on themandrel I 9. At such time, the head 24 has entered the tapered bore 34aof the collar 34, as shown in Figure 1. After the lugs 38 have engagedthe collar 22, the rods 3I and pump plunger B are rotated in a clockwisedirection in Figure 5, whereby the fiat side of the lugs 38 will strikethe fiat side of the lugs 23. Continued rotation of the plunger B afterthe engagement of the lugs 38 and 23 will impart a rotation to thecollar 22 and such rotation will screw the collar 22 downwardly on themandrel i9, as shown in Figure 2. 'I'he plunger is rotated until thecollar 22 is screwed downwardly to the point where the lugs disengageeach other, in which position, the conical head 24 has moved into thering 3S. After this position is reached, the plunger B may be loweredthe distance between the lower ends of the lugs 3S and the upper surfaceof the collar 22. The height of the lugs 23 is sufficient so that thisdownward movement will aline the ring 35 with the groove 25 formed atthe base of the head 24.

Thus, after the stop collar 22 has been screwed downwardly on themandrel I9 a sufficient distance to permita downward movement of theplunger B, said plunger is lowered to the position shown in Figure 3.This causes the head to move into the sleeve 32 and upon such movement,to expand the ring 36. As the groove 25 moves into alinement with thering 36, said ring, due to its inherent tension and resiliency, snapsinto said groove and thereby connects the mandrel and head with thecollar 34 and sleeve 32. The members are thus coupled together and uponremoving the plunger B from the working barrel and well tubing, th'estanding valve A is also removed therefrom. When the parts have beentaken to the surface, the collar 34 is unscrewed.

from the sleeve 32, which permits the spring ring 36 to be disengagedfrom th'e groove 25, whereby the parts are uncoupled. Before thestanding valve is returned into the well, the stop collar 22 is rotatedto position it at the upper end of `the mandrel I3.'

It will thus be seen that an eii'ective and quick coupling of the pumpplunger with the standing valve may be made below the surface. There'areno threads which must be allned to bring about the coupling and due toth'e tapered bore 34a of the collar 34, the head 24 isvpositively guidedinto -said collar. The stop collar 22 prevents an accidental coupling orconnection to be made during the normal operation of the pump plunger B,for obviously as the stroke of the pump plunger is unintentionallylengthened, the lower ends of the lugs 38 will merely strike the collar22 and thereby prevent the plunger from moving downwardly a suflicientdistance to couple the head with the collar 34 and sleeve 32.

In Figures 1 to 5, the pump plunger B is sh'own as working within aworking barrel I I, which has approximately the same diameter as thewell tubing (not shown). In many instances, it is desirable that theworking barrel be larger than the tubing, whereby more uid may be pumpedor lifted to the surface, due to the fact that a larger plunger may beemployed. In Figures 6 to 15, the improved coupling, with slightmodications, is shown as connecting a pump plunger withvits pump rods.In this form of the invention, a working barrel which has a largerdiameter than the Well tubing I0' is connected to said well tubing by asuitable swaged nipple or coupling 40. A standing valve A', similar inconstruction to the standing valve A, is permanently mounted at thelower end of the working barrel As is clearly shown in Figure 6, thestanding valve A is not removable, being clamped between the lower endof the working barrel I l' and th'e upper' end of the well screen I3. Anenlarged pump plunger B' of substantially the same construction as theplunger B is movable vertically within the enlarged working barrel I I.Since the working barrel and plunger have a larger diameter than thetubing I0', it will be manifest that said plunger cannot be liftedthrough or run into the tubing and therefore,

' it is necessary that the plunger B be disposed or located within theworking barrel, before said working barrel is lowered into the wellbore.

Connected to the upper end of the plunger B is a tool joint C whichincludes a lower member 4|. This lower member has a socket at its lowerend which receives the pin 30 at the upper end of the cage 29' on theplunger B. An upwardly extending pin 42 is formed at the upper end offthe member 4| and thi-s pin is provided with external, lefthand screwthreads. The pin is adapted to engage within a socket 43 formed on th'elower end of a sleeve member 32'. This sleeve member has its upper endconnected with a collar 34', which is similar to the collar 34 in therst form. A snap ring 36', similar to the ring 36,.is confined betweenthe upper end of the sleeve member 32' and a shoulder 35 which is formedwithin the collar 34'. The upper end oi the bore of the collar 34 istapered outwardly in a manner similar to th'e inclination of the bore ofthe collar 34.- From the foregoing, it will be seen that the tool jointC connects the sleeve member 32' of the coupling element with the upperend of the plunger B. The lefthand threads of the socket 43 permit thesleeve member 32' to be disconnected from the member 4| withoutdisconnecting said member from the plunger B' or with'out disconnectingany of the other thread connections in the string, as such threads.

For preventing the accidental unscrewing of the pin 42 from the socket43, the member 4| is formed with an axial bore'4I' which has radialrecesses or slots 4|a at its upper end. A plunger 4|b is slidable in thebore and radial pins 4|c extend from the plunger and project through therecesses o r slots 4|a, said pins being movable vertically in saidslots. A coiled spring 4|d is located within the bore 4|' and isconfined b'etween the lower end of the plunger and a transverse pin 4 Iewhich extends across the' lower end of the bore. The spring exerts itspressure to constantly urge the plunger 4|a and pins 4|c upwardly.

f When the sleeve member 32' is screwed onto the pin 42 of th'e member4|, the radial pins 4Ic are adapted to engage in recesses 43 which areprovided in the lower edge portion of the sleeve member (Figures 'l and8). When the pins are so engaged, rotation of the sleeve 32' withrelation to the member 4 lis prevented and accidental or unintentionalunscrewing of the parts is prevented. The pins 4Ic and recesses 43 thusprovide a lock for holding. the connected parts of the tool joint Ctogether.

The plunger B carrying the coupling element formed by sleeve member 32and the collar 34' is assembled within the working barrel before saidworking barrel is fastened to the lower end of the tubing I0 and priorto the running of said tubing and working barrel into the well. Theworking barrel and tubing are then lowered into the well bore and aresuitably set therein.

, At this time, the pump rods 3| are not run into tin the well but arelowered through the tubing after the working barrel has been properlyset, as will be presently explained. After the tubing I0' and workingbarrel are properly located within the well bore, the pump rods 3| arethen lowered through Ithe tubing. A mandrel 45 is provided with a pin 46at its upper end and this pin is threaded into the socket formed on the'lower end of the lowerm-ost pump rod 3|, whereby said mandrel isconnected to said rod. The lower end of the mandrel is formed with ahead 24' which is similar'to the head 24, described in the first form.An external, annular groove 25 is provided between the conical head 24and the mandrel 45. from the mandrel 45 and said pin is spaced above thegroove 25. The pin is adapted to engage in a recess 48 formed in theupper edge portion of the collar 34.

In operation, the plunger B is assembled within the working barrel atthe surface, after which the Working barrel is connected to the tubingI0' and is lowered into the well bore. After the tubing and workingbarrel are properly set` the rods 3| having the mandrel 45 secured totheir lower ends, are run through the tubing. The ,rods are lowereduntil the head 24 on the lower end of the mandrel 45 enters the upperend of the collar 34. This lowering continues until the radial pin 41strikes the upper edge of the collar 34 after which downward movement ofthe lrods and mandrel is halted. When this position is reached, the rods3| are rotated until the pin 41 registers with the recess 48 in the col-'to aline with the snap ring 36. whereby said A radial pin 41 extendsoutwardlyV When it becomes desirable to remove the rods 3l from the welltubing, it is necessary to disconnect said rods from the plunger B', asmanifestly, the plunger cannot be pulled upwardly through the tubing I'which has a. smaller diameter than said plunger. To effect thedisconnection of the rods and the plunger B', said rods are movedupwardly until the radial pins 4|c enter and strike the reduced portionof the swaged coupling 40, as is clearly shown in Figure 14. When thisoccurs, the pins are forced downwardly in their slots 4M, under tensionof the coiled spring 4|d, so as to move downwardly out of the recesses43' of the sleeve 32. Such disengagement of the pins from the recessespermits rotation of the sleeve 32' with relation to the member 4|. Atthe same time that the pins 4|c are moved downwardly due to theirengagement with the swaged coupling 40, the vertical grooves 49 formedin the upper end of the valve cage 29 between the vertical ribs 29a ofsaid valve cage, receive depending lugs 50 which are formed on the upperend of the barrel l I. These lugs extend inwardly and downwardly intothe bore of the barrel and when engaged within the grooves 48 of thevalve cage, they prevent rotation of said cage. When the lugs 55 areengaged within the grooves 49 and rotation of the cage, as well as thepump plunger B secured thereto, cannot be had, the pump rods 3| arerotated in a clockwise direction in Figure 15. Such clockwise rotationwill tend to tighten all of the righthand threads in the entire string.However, the connection between the socket 43 in the lower end of thesleeve member 32' and the pin 42 on the member 4| is a lefthand thread,and a clockwise rotation of the rods 3| will unscrew the pin 42 from thesocket 43, this unscrewing of these parts being permitted since theradial pins 4|c have been disengaged from the recesses 43 of the sleeve32. After said pin 42 is entirely unscrewed from the socket, the rods 3|may be lifted through the tubing Ill and the plunger B wil1 remainwithin the working barrel H'.

It is pointed out that in some instances the radial pins 4|c and theirassociate parts may be eliminated and an ordinary tool joint havinglefthand threads used in place thereof. In such case, the lugs 50 wouldstill be utilized for preventing rotation of the plunger B and lowermember of the tool joint which is secured to said plunger. When anordinary tool joint is substituted for the tool joint C, the lugs 50might be broken or for some reason it might be impossible to engage saidlugs within the grooves 49 of the cage 29'. To take care of such anoccurrence, the lower end of the plunger B may be formed with a collar5|. This collar is provided with recesses 52 which are locateddiametrically opposite each other. The upper end of the valve cage ofthe standing valve A' may be provided with a diametrically extending lug53 which extends upwardly from said cage. Il' it is impossible to raisethe plunger B so that the recesses 49 in the cage 29 may receive thelugs 50, then the plunger B' may be lowered so that the recesses 52 mayengage the lug 53. When so engaged, rotation of the plunger B isprevented and it is possible to disconnect the rods 3| by unscrewing thelefthand thread connection between the pin 42 and the socket 43.

In Figure 16, still another form of the invention is shown. In thisform, amandrel $5' is connected to the pin 30 on the valve cage 29 of aplunger B and extends upwardly therefrom. The mandrel has the conicalhead 24 and groove 25 at its upper end. A coupling element similar tothe coupling shown in Figure 6 and including a sleeve member 32a andcollar 34h is connected to the lower end of the pump rods 3|. 'Ihespring ring 36' is, of course, secured between the sleeve member 32a andthe collar 34h.

In this form, the plunger B may be lowered into the well bore with thetubing string and after it is properly positioned, the rods 3| may berun through the tubing. As the rodsare lowered, the collar 34h movesdownwardly over the head 24 until the ring 36 engages within the groove25. When so engaged, the members are coupled together and the plunger Bmay be reciprocated by means of the rods 3|. Since the upper end of themember 32a is followed in this form, an accumulation of parain or otherma- .terial may occur within the bore of the member 32a. In order topermit this VAaccumulation to be removed from the bore when the head 24moves, thereinto, a release passage 54 extends from the bore of thesleeve member 32a to the outer surface thereof.

It is noted that in all forms, the ring 36 and ring 3S' has been shownas split at one point, whereby the rings are in a single piece. However,it is pointed out that said ring could be made in two pieces and thesame results obtained. In the form shown in Figure 16, no tool joint Chas been indicated, but obviously a tool joint could be interposedbetween the mandrel 45' and the valve cage 29. If such tool joint wereemployed, a radial pin 41 engageable within recesses provided in thecollar 34 would be used so that a rotation could be imparted to themandrel 45 in order to unscrew such inserted tool joint.

In all forms, shown herein, the connection between rods and plunger maybe quickly and easily made and after the parts are coupled, a swivelingor .axial rotation of the plunger with relation to the rods may be had,whereby an even wea-r on said plunger occurs in reciprocation. 'I'hisprevents scoring of the plunger and barrel and also obviates atteningone side of the plunger with resultant longer wear and increasedeiciency.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a well pump having a pump plunger and alsohaving pump rods for reciprocating the same, of a coupling including, atool joint secured to the upper end of the plunger and having a socketand pin each having lefthand threads, an insertable element attached tothe lower end of the pump rods and adapted to be inserted in the tooljoint, and coacting means on the element and tool joint for coupling therods and plunger together, the lefthand threaded connection of the tooljoint permitting the rods and plunger to be separated reciprocating thesame, of a coupling including,

a tool joint secured' to the upper, end of the plunger and having asocket and pin each formed with left hand screw threads, a receivingele- 'ment having its upper end open carried by the tool joint, aninsertable element attached to the lower end o! the pump rods andadapted to be inserted in the receiving element, one of the elementshavingv an annular groove therein. and means carried by the otherelement and engageable within said groove for connecting the elementstogether, the left-hand threaded connection of the tool-joint permittingthe rods and plunger to be separated after the elements have beencoupled.

3. The combination with a well pump having a pump plunger and alsohaving pump rods for reciprocating the same, of a coupling including, atool joint secured to the upper end of the plunger and having a socketand pin eachl having lett-hand threads. an insertable element attachedto the lower end of the pump rods and adapted to be inserted in the toolJoint, coacting means on the element and tool joint for coupling `therods and plunger together. the lefthand threaded connectionol the tooljoint permitting the rods and plunger to be separated aiterthe elementhas been coupled to the tool joint, and means carried by the tool jointfor preventing accidental un'screwing of the lefthand thread connectionthereof.

4. The combination with a well pump having a pump plunger and alsohaving pump rods for reciprocating the same, of a coupling including, atool joint secured to the upper end of4 the plunger and having a socketand pin each formed with left-,hand screw threads, a receiving elementhaving its upper end open carried by the tool joint, an insertableelement attached to the lower end of the pump rods and adapted to beinserted in the receiving element, one of the elements having an annulargroove therein, means carried by the other elementand engageable withinsaid groove for connecting the elements' together, the left-handthreaded connection of the tool Jointpermittlng the rods and plunger tobe separated after the elements have been coupled, and. means mounted inthe tool Joint for preventing accidental unscrewing of the pin andsocket of said joint.

O'ITO STAERKER.

